Men who make sexist comments in France could be fined

Men caught making sexist or lewd comments in public places in France could be hit with hefty fines, under new proposals.

According to The Local, a new government report recommends fines for "behaviour that is an infringement of the freedom of movement of women in public spaces and undermines self-esteem and the right to security."

The plans, which have been put forward to address the issue of street harassment and "everyday sexism", could lead to fines of €90 for men making lewd remarks about a woman's appearance.

Men found following women on the street or blocking their paths could also be hit with a fine, although earlier reports suggesting wolf-whistling would be subject to on-the-spot fines have since been dismissed.

The minimum fine will be handed to those who can pay immediately, but it will increase to €135 for offenders who choose to pay within 15 days and could total as much as €375 in the event of a late payment.

The politicians who worked on the proposals were tasked with identifying what constitutes "sexual outrage" and with drafting adequate measures to ensure the issue is tackled.

The measures were championed by Marlene Schiappa, France's Secretary of State for Equality and an early supporter of French President Emmanuel Macron, who aims to tackle sexist behaviours in public places.

Schiappa, along with Nicole Belloubet and Gerard Collomb, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior respectively, was due to examine the proposals on Wednesday (24 January), but the presentation has been postponed by a week.

The fines are just one of the proposals contained in the wider parliamentary report and the three ministers will have the final say on the bill before it is presented to parliament.